Ooh! New Stuff!

My Minions,

Look what came for me!

Shall we open it and see what's inside?!?  Of course we shall!

According to the Yarnbox information card, this is a magazine out of the UK that is quickly gaining popularity.  It contains 10 patterns, a few articles, and some technique instructions (such as casting on and binding off for 1X1 ribbing).

Four stitch markers were included, one has a festive snowflake on it.  They are very pretty!

A wrap pattern from Blue Sky Alpacas.

And yarn! Oh, and there's another pattern under there.  I didn't really make it much past the yarn with the photos.

The box had two 50 gram hanks each of Blue Sky Alpacas Metalico (147 yards per hank) in Silver (this has been on my find-this-yarn-and-touch it list for about two months) and Blue Sky Alpacas Techno (120 yards per hank) in Metro Silver.

The Metalico is a sport weight yarn made of 50% baby alpaca and 50% mulberry silk.  It puts the Lorna's Laces I was just raving about in my last post to shame!  It has a slight sheen from the silk and a slight halo from the baby alpaca.  Its very soft.  I couldn't stop petting it.  I want more! A lot more! I want to roll around in piles of this stuff and then fall asleep in those piles! Even though they only sent enough yarn for a wrap or scarf, this yarn does not want to be a wrap or a scarf, it wants to be a slinky open-backed top!   I think that will justify my need for more.

The Techno is a bulky weight yarn in which alpaca and merino are blown into a hollow silk core.  I'd really like to see this manufacturing process.  Anyway, I've never worked with bulky yarn before, but this is soft and squishy and light.  I went on Ravelry and this yarn was used a lot for hats, cowls, mittens - accessory type stuff.  I'm sure it makes delightful accessories, but I don't think this yarn wants to be an accessory.  It wants to be a warm and squishy over-sized sweater and sit in front of the fireplace drinking hot tea while snow piles up outside.  I don't think two hanks is going to be enough for it to become that sweater though...

Before coming home to my Yarnbox last night, I went to check out a local yarn and fabric store I hadn't been to yet - Silk Road Textiles.  While it is probably not going to replace Hank in my life, it was a cute little shop, and had a cozy looking corner with sofas that sort of begged you to make yourself at home with your new acquisitions while you started your project.  While I was in there I picked up this Dashing Mouse Designs Mr. Mouse's Superwash Socks yarn in Velvet (which I did not see on the website).

In the photo this yarn looks kind of purple, but it is really black and rich red.  I love the color!  It is unfortunate that  I can't start knitting this until after Christmas.

All this new yarn got me thinking that I really need a dedicated space for my knitting stuff.  There really just isn't room in my sewing room for it.  The combination of needles, books, leftover and stashed yarn is currently spilling out of a cardboard box in a corner of my dining room.  I may have to kick The Heir's board games out of the cedar chest and take it over for my own purposes.  It's either that, or I'm taking over his closet.

Until next time,

Jessica, Empress of the Universe